


Light the Fuse

by Shergar



Series: Whumptober 2020 [2]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alec is trying okay, Alternate Universe - Slavery, Blindfolds, Clave Politics (Shadowhunter Chronicles), Collars, Dehumanization, Harness, Implied/Referenced Torture, Insecure Magnus Bane, Leashes, M/M, Magnus Bane Needs A Hug, Muzzles, Panic Attacks, Restraints, Sensory Deprivation, The Clave (Shadowhunter Chronicles), happy ending I promise, hood
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:01:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 15,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26782585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shergar/pseuds/Shergar
Summary: MIND THE TAGS.The woman joined him in front of the cage, reading from a clipboard hanging on the front. “Picked up about a year ago during a raid. They decided to bring it back instead of kill it thinking the more human appearance might be useful. Mid-level in power but intelligent. They’ve put it through some training and it seemed to do well enough.” She paused, humming as she read further. “Got a mouth on it though. Seems to be one of the only downsides.”Written for Whumptober 2020 Prompt: Collars/Forced to their knees/manhandled/caged
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Series: Whumptober 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1950139
Comments: 96
Kudos: 282





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is an idea that's been floating around through multiple fandoms. This finally felt like the right one for it.

“Follow me, Mr. Lightwood.”

Yesterday, Alec had officially taken over as head of the New York Institute. He’d been acting Head for years but the Clave had finally decided to make it official. Finally, he’d be able to get his Institute more funding, better weapons, and all the other bells and whistles that came with his new position. What he was most looking forward to, however, is that now with an official Head, the New York Institute could, at long last, get the demonic assistance that they’d been missing for far too long. 

At some point, after the war, the Shadowhunters had realized that they could use demons to help track down other demons. Instead of slaughtering them all, they took a few and bound them magically. The demons became bloodhounds, helping to lead hunting parties to others of their kind. The number of successful kills skyrocketed and the Clave gifted a demon to each Institute Head.

New York had been without an official Head since his parents had been recalled to Idris. They’d had to do their hunts the old fashioned ways - nightly patrols and a bit of good luck.

He followed the stern looking woman down the hallway and through a door at the very end. “As you can see, we have several promising options. Many have had at least a little bit of training. Of course, with the runed collars that’s not really necessary - just helps with the handling.” The Clave official waved her arm towards a row of kennels. “We’ve got a few nice Ravener specimens. The Shax demons are some of our best trackers. There’s also a Hellhound or two if you prefer to be more traditional. Take your time and look around. Find me when you find one you like and we’ll get you processed.”

Alec walked down the row of cages, telling himself that he just needed to pick one. He’d settled on a Shax demon before he’d even entered the building this morning. The woman was right - they were some of the best trackers and he felt like his Institute needed to make up for lost time. A Shax demon would certainly help with that but standing here, staring at the two in front of him, Alec wasn’t sure if that was the right choice. Something about it didn’t feel right. 

He continued down another row and paused in front of a cage containing a hellhound. The beast stared at him with red eyes and a low growl rising in its throat. The hounds were supposed to be some of the easiest to work with - highly intelligent and easy to train. They’d be successful with one to help them hunt but it wouldn’t quite put them over the edge like he was hoping. 

Alec spent an hour walking up and down the rows, pausing in front of each creature to weigh his options. He was about to walk back to the Clave official and tell her he was going with his first pick when a roar and a loud thump from a door he hadn’t previously noticed made his head shoot up. “Don’t worry about that, Mr. Lightwood. It seems one of our larger beasts is a little bored.”

“You have more demons here?”

The woman stared at him over the rim of her glasses. “We don’t typically offer them to Institute Heads.” She said after a moment, walking across the room and joining him in front of the door. “They’re larger, more powerful...harder to control. But you are a Lightwood and you come highly recommended. Perhaps, this time, we will make an exception.” She took a heavy iron key out of her pocket and unlocked the door. “Take a look. Maybe something here will catch your eye.”

Alec stepped into the room and felt his heart pick up the pace. The creatures, like the ones outside, were all wearing the runed collars preventing them from using what little magic they had but despite that, he could still feel the pure power coming off them. There were fewer cages in here, he counted 12, but most were empty. There was a Raum demon in the kennel closest to the door, likely the source of the sounds he had heard from the outside. 

He didn’t step farther into the room but his eyes glanced over each of the demons. This was certainly more like what he was looking for...but which one to pick? He barely noticed the lone cage at the end of the end of the row but once he did, he couldn’t look away. 

It didn’t contain a demon, at least not one of the more beastly ones. A man was sitting on the floor, his back against the metal bars and his knees pulled up to his chest in an attempt to make himself look smaller. Outside of the standard runed collar and the muzzle on his face, he wore only a ratty pair of grey sweatpants. Alec found himself crossing the room and kneeling down to get a better look at him. This close, he could see the creature’s gold cat’s eyes as they looked at him in fear.

“What’s the story on this one?”

The woman joined him in front of the cage, reading from a clipboard hanging on the front. “Picked up about a year ago during a raid. They decided to bring it back instead of kill it thinking the more human appearance might be useful. Mid-level in power but intelligent. They’ve put it through some training and it seemed to do well enough.” She paused, humming as she read further. “Got a mouth on it though. Seems to be one of the only downsides.”

Alec couldn’t pull his eyes off the terrified man in front of him. He somehow knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that this was what he was waiting for. “This one.” He said, standing up and turning to the Clave official. “I want this one.”

She studied him for a moment and Alec could feel her scrutinizing every inch of him. Eventually, she nodded and tucked the clipboard under her arm. “Very well, Mr. Lightwood. Follow me, we’ve got a stack of paperwork with your name on it.” He followed her out of the room, throwing one last look behind him at the man in the cage. 

*************************************************************************

Alec Lightwood was good at paperwork. Supernaturally good at paperwork. He’d read the small mountain of documents he’d been presented with, signed where necessary, and organized the stack in record time. The Clave official, Ana he’d learned her name was, took the files, scanned through them briefly to make sure everything was in order, and held out her hand. “Congratulations on your promotion, Mr. Lightwood. We will finish our preparations and deliver the creature in approximately 3 hours.”

Three hours? He thought he’d get to take him with him when he left.. The confusion must have been apparent on his face because Ana gave him a small smile. “Peace, Alec. I know you’re anxious to get started but a few more hours won’t make or break you. We will bring it to you as soon as we are done.” He had no choice but to follow her across the hall to the waiting portal and step through.

As expected, Izzy and Jace were waiting for him when he got back. “Well, how did it go? What did you pick?” His sister started bombarding him with questions before the portal had even closed behind him. “Why isn’t it with you? The Clave DID let you pick a demon, right?”

“Calm down, Izzy. Yes, I did. He’ll be here this afternoon. They said they had to finalize some things on their end. They’ll deliver him in 3 hours or so.”

“Him?” Alec sighed, Jace might sometimes play the idiot but he was perceptive as hell when he wanted to be.

“Yes, him. It’s a long story. You’ll see this afternoon. I’ve got some paperwork to finish up. I’ll be in my office if you need me.” He knew that despite what he said, he wasn’t going to get a single thing done but it was an excuse for him to escape his siblings so that he could actually gather his thoughts.

The file he’d read about the demon was lacking almost any information on him. It hadn’t mentioned a name, a species, what specific abilities he had… it was enough to keep a record but only just. It was like the Clave had shoved him in a corner and forgotten about him, probably because he hadn’t met whatever unspoken expectations they had had. Alec was sure there was more to the story. Once he got past the fear, he’d seen intelligence in the other man’s eyes. 

The next three hours were the most agonizing he’d been through in ages. Nothing could keep his attention and the clock almost seemed to be moving backwards rather than forwards. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he heard the alarm for an incoming portal and nearly bolted to the entryway. His siblings joined him and they waited in anticipation for the Clave officials to step through. 

Two large men stepped through first, holding heavy chains in their hands. Shortly after that, the demon followed and fell to his knees as if he had been pulled through harshly and had landed unbalanced. Alec heard his sister gasp behind him but his attention was completely on the man in front of him. 

His hands had been bound behind his back so he had no way to catch himself as he fell. The chains the guards were holding were attached to the runed collar around his throat. He was still wearing the muzzle though it seems they had switched it from the harsh metal one Alec had seen earlier to something lighter and more utilitarian. 

After a minute a last man stepped through the portal holding a small wooden box. “Alexander Lightwood?” He asked, his eyes falling on Alec. He passed him the box and turned to the guards, gesturing for them to get the demon on his feet. “Please show us to your kennels. We’ll deposit it there.”

Alec cleared his throat and waved his hand at a hallway towards the back of the room. “Right, of course. This way.” They walked past him, practically dragging the man behind them. Alec went to bring up the rear but was stopped by his sister quietly whispering his name. “I know, Izzy. Not now.”

The Shadowhunters of the New York Institute tried, and failed, to look like they were studiously working as the small party made its way to the kennels. Alec made a note that perhaps more training in situational awareness and being non-discrete was needed. He knew that they were better than this and yet here they were, acting like children at a zoo.

The kennels at the institute had been empty since his parents departure. Alec had spent a few days in here, fixing it back up and preparing for whatever demon would soon be housed there. When they reached the room, the guards opened up the first cage and shoved the demon in. He fell, once again, and they took the opportunity to remove the chains attached to his collar. They left his hands bound, not even giving that a second glance, before closing the door and locking it.

“That box has everything you need for a working partnership. There are instructions for maintenance on the collar and the various functions it performs. This one does have a history of disobedience, though I think we’ve finally got that trained out. We provided the extra restraints just in case. As this one isn’t a standard asset, the Clave will send a representative for inspections once a month for a year. If we find no faults with your performance, you’ll be granted full custody.”

Alec listened to the little man with the mustache but couldn’t take his eyes off the demon. He was now curled up on the floor, a slight tremble through his body. He wanted these men to leave, now, so he could finally address the creature the way he wanted to. “Thank you for your assistance. It is appreciated.” Kill them with kindness when you can. “Izzy, Jace. Can you please show them out?” His sister nodded and guided them out the door. His parabatai hesitated. “Go Jace. I’ll be fine.” The blond tipped his head and followed the group. 

Alec waited for them to be a bit farther down the hallway before he let himself into the cage. The demon curled in on himself tighter. “Can you look at me?” He asked quietly, once he was sure the Clave officials were out of range. “I’m not going to hurt you, I want to take that thing off your face.” The man made no move to unfurl his body and Alec sighed. “Please? Let me take the muzzle off and give you back your arms and then I’ll see about getting you something to eat and letting you rest, alright?”

There was no movement for a few tense moments before the man slowly started to move, pushing himself to his knees as best he could with his hands behind his back. He kept his eyes to the ground and Alec could only imagine that was a result of the aforementioned training. The Shadowhunter moved slowly and made sure to telegraph his movements, wanting to avoid spooking the other man as much as possible. He reached around and unclasped the muzzle, letting the vile thing fall to the floor. The demon’s breath hitched and a tremble rolled through his body. He waited for a moment, waiting to see if the creature would make any move. When none came, he unchained the demon’s hands and took two steps back. “Alright?” He asked quietly, giving the other man some space. 

After a moment, he got a nod in return and it brought a small smile to his lips. “I’m going to go get you some lunch. I’ll be back in a little bit. Try to get some rest in the meantime. I’m sure you’ve had one hell of a day.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He’d stopped caring about his dignity months ago so falling to his knees in the middle of the Ops room in front of dozens of shadowhunters and then being dragged like a child’s toy back to the kennels hadn’t bothered him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MIND THE TAGS. 
> 
> This remains very not nice to Magnus.

It was finally quiet. For the first time in over a year, it was finally quiet and Magnus could  _ think.  _ There were no howling demons, no screaming shadowhunters, no one who needed his help. It’s the first time he’s been truly alone since the Clave had taken him from an alley in New York and he had woken up in Idris with no access to his magic. It would almost be a welcome relief...but he was still trapped behind iron bars and runes that made him powerless. 

He hadn’t expected the Clave to let him go so easily, especially not to a kid who looked barely old enough to be legal, let alone run an Institute. He would have guessed that they would have killed him before they let what they thought was going to be their prized possession out of their sights. 

They had wanted so much from him in the beginning. He couldn’t give them any of it without access to his magic and they weren’t willing to compromise. So they had decided to try something else - instead of relying on his skills as a warlock, they started to train him like the other demons they captured. What they hadn’t considered is though he may have demon blood, he wasn’t anything like the more beast-like creatures. 

Magnus had been helping them when he was taken. They’d reached out to ask if he would assist with tracking a rogue shadowhunter. He’d worked tirelessly for days, draining his magic to the point of exhaustion and when he had been close to the finish line, they had turned a blind eye in his direction, leaving him to confront the rogue alone and nearly getting himself killed in the process.

When he had woken up, he had been cold, lonely, and empty in a way he had never felt before. He was in a cage. Not a small one, but small enough that he felt like a trapped animal. The little cell was bare - absolutely no comfort and nothing he could use to try and escape. As his brain started to process more about his situation, a few other things because clear - his hands were bound behind his back, there was a tight metal collar around his throat that prevented him from using his magic and there was a muzzle on his face to keep him quiet. In time, he’d also learn that they’d tattooed and chipped him like a freaking racehorse. 

Over the next several months, they’d tortured him hoping they would eventually be able to turn his spirit into unwavering loyalty. He knew that they didn’t want a partner or a warlock on the payroll, they wanted a devoted dog. But Magnus was smart and he was old and once it became clear that they wouldn’t be able to sway him, they changed tactics. If he was going to act like a disobedient beast then they would treat him like one.

So his new daily routine became the same as all the other demons they had in their possession. The Clave had simply decided that he wasn’t a warlock anymore and a half-demon was still a demon if you rounded up. Through a process of trial and error, they’d eventually found a way that he could even hunt like the other demons. From that point on, that was all he was. Just another demon. 

He had heard the Lightwood boy was coming today. The shadowhunters hadn’t told him directly but they tended to talk around him, forgetting once again that he could actually understand what they were saying. He’d be the youngest shadowhunter to head an institute and had already accomplished great things for the Clave in his short life. So the boy wonder was going to get to pick his very own demon to help his institute with their hunts and Magnus could care less. 

The demons in the back room were nastier specimens than the ones out front. They were bigger, stronger, and generally harder to control. The Clave wouldn’t offer them to the institute heads because if they couldn’t control them and one got lose, it could cause more collateral damage than they felt morally acceptable. Considering his new powerless existence and the fact that they had downplayed his power level on their official documents about him, Magnus was pretty surprised to find himself a resident of the back room. 

He assumed that the Lightwood kid had arrived by the voices he heard on the other side of the door to the backroom. The Raum demon was making a horrible racket as per usual and Magnus hugged his knees to his chest and sighed, wondering not for the first time and certainly not for the last how this had become his life?

The door pushed open with a creak and Magnus’ eyes flicked up. Lightwood and one of the numerous Clave officials whose name he chose not to remember stood in the door. Magnus instantly schooled his expression and tried to keep his eyes on the floor of his kennel. The backroom was off-limits. Why were they here now?

There were was a minute of silence before footsteps started walking his way. “What’s the story on this one?” He chanced a glance up and met hazel eyes as the boy knelt down to his level.

“Picked up about a year ago during a raid.”  _ A lie.  _ “ They decided to bring it back instead of killing it thinking the more human appearance might be useful.”  _ Sure, if that helps them sleep better at night.  _ “Mid-level in power but intelligent.”  _ Understatement.  _ “They’ve put it through some training and it seemed to do well enough. Got a mouth on it though. Seems to be one of the only downsides.”  _ What bullshit. _

Suffice to say, he was surprised when the boy picked him. Even more so when they Clave agreed.

\------------------------------------------------------------------------

Magnus had been in the New York Institute before, multiple times in fact. When Maryse and Robert Lightwood had been the heads, he’d been the one responsible for their wards. He didn’t need access to his magic to tell him those same wards remained on the building today. How interesting.

The transfer to New York had gone about how he expected. He’d never left the kennel not restrained in some way. They’d gone over his paperwork with a fine-toothed comb, double-checked that the chip between his shoulderblades was still registering, and gave him a quick once-over. After that, they’d dragged him outside, hosed him down, and let him change into a clean pair of sweat pants. Two rather large guards replaced the muzzle he had been wearing with the lighter one he sometimes wore when they took him hunting, bound his hands behind him, and roughly shoved him through a portal. 

He’d stopped caring about his dignity months ago so falling to his knees in the middle of the Ops room in front of dozens of shadowhunters and then being dragged like a child’s toy back to the kennels hadn’t bothered him. The two rough-looking guards shoved him in the first cage and locked the door. Another man gave the Lightwood boy what Magnus assumed was some sort of scripted speech about responsibility before the room cleared out, leaving only Magnus and his new  _ owner.  _

The boy,  _ Alexander  _ his brain supplied, waited a few moments outside of the cage before letting himself in. Magnus had instantly curled in on himself when he had been harshly thrown in and he couldn’t help but flinch when the boy got closer. “Can you look at me?” He asked quietly, speaking as he would to a terrified animal. “I’m not going to hurt you, I want to take that thing off your face. Please? Let me take the muzzle off and give you back your arms and then I’ll see about getting you something to eat and letting you rest, alright?”

Magnus knew he shouldn’t trust him, not so soon, not after what he had been through but having the muzzle off for more than a few minutes and getting something to eat sounded amazing. As a warlock, he was immortal. Starvation surely wouldn’t kill him anytime soon and the Clave liked keeping him hungry thinking it would motivate him to better behavior. He weighed the pros and cons quickly in his head before struggling to his knees. If he was wrong in trusting so soon, surely it couldn’t be worse than anything he’d experienced before. 

True to his word, Alexander freed his hands and removed the muzzle before leaving him alone with the promise to return shortly with food.

\---------------------------------------------------------------

Alec carried the box the Clave had left into his office and wasn’t surprised to find his siblings waiting for him. “They’ll be back tomorrow,” Jace offered in lieu of a greeting. “They said they’re sending by a trainer to walk you through how to handle him on a hunt. I tried to convince them that it wasn’t necessary but they seemed to feel it was.”

He dropped the box on his desk and rubbed at his temples for a moment. “Thanks, Jace. Izzy… can you go through this and try to see if you can get any more information? His file is on my desk too. It seems deliberately sparse. Jace… start by checking our files. It mentioned that he was captured here in New York. Maybe we’ve got something in our records somewhere.”

“What are you going to do?” His sister asked as she made herself comfortable at his desk and flipped open the folder in front of her. 

“Get him something to eat, see if I can get any answers. Something isn’t sitting right with me about all of this.”

Alec left his siblings to their tasks and made his way back to the kennels, stopping in the kitchen just long enough to grab the sandwich he’d promised. Deliberately sparse. He’d used those words with Jace but even that seemed too kind. Many fields were skipped entirely, almost as if he had only started existing once they got him to Idris. There hadn’t even been a name...even a dog had something to call it by.

When he got back to the kennels, he found the demon had pushed himself to the back of the cage and pulled his knees up to his chest, much like he’d been when Alec had first seen him that morning. “I brought you a sandwich. I wasn’t sure what you liked and your file didn’t really say so I hope this is alright.” He kept his movements slow and his voice quiet as he unlocked the cage and stepped inside.

He knelt down and set the plate in front of the other man. “I’m Alec. Do you have a name? That was also missing from your file...it seemed to be lacking a lot, actually.” He knew the demon could at the very least understand him. He may not have been able to answer back earlier but he had definitely been tracking the conversation that was being had about him. Alec was hoping for anything honestly, any sign that there was something more behind those golden cat eyes. This time he didn’t see the fear in them he had seen back in Idris, he saw pain and distrust. 

“I can only imagine that what happened to you in Idris was horrible and I’m sorry about that. I want to help if you’ll let me.” The demon looked like he had no intention of moving nor replying and Alec sighed. “I’ll leave you alone to get some rest and eat. We’ll try again tomorrow, yeah? I’ll be back in the morning.” He closed the kennel door behind him and took one last look at the demon over his shoulder before leaving him to his dinner. 


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Magnus had trained himself to take food and sleep when he could get it early on in his captivity. While the Clave hadn’t truly withheld either, they hadn’t exactly provided five-star service. The food had been the bare minimum to keep him alive, often leaving him still hungry and unsatisfied. And sleep? That had been more like collapsing from sheer exhaustion more than actual rest. It was hard to truly relax while laying on the cold, hard ground of a cage in a room surrounded by growling demons. 
> 
> But Magnus had managed. He always does.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MIND THE TAGS. 
> 
> This still remains not very nice to Magnus.
> 
> Whumptober prompts: Blindfolded, Sensory Deprivation, Panic Attacks (mild.)

Magnus had trained himself to take food and sleep when he could get it early on in his captivity. While the Clave hadn’t truly withheld either, they hadn’t exactly provided five-star service. The food had been the bare minimum to keep him alive, often leaving him still hungry and unsatisfied. And sleep? That had been more like collapsing from sheer exhaustion more than actual rest. It was hard to truly relax while laying on the cold, hard ground of a cage in a room surrounded by growling demons. 

But Magnus had managed. He always does.

He’d eaten the sandwich Alec had left quickly, not wanting to give anyone a chance to change their mind. This was only his first day in his new abode - he had no idea what the routine would be from here on out. Best not look a gift horse in the mouth and the sandwich was admittedly the closest thing to real food he’d eaten in a year. It tasted absolutely divine. He left the plate at the front of the kennel and pushed himself into a corner in the back, closing his eyes with a sigh. The lights were still on (the lights were  _ always _ still on) but he’d gotten used to that.

He must have fallen into a light sleep easier than he thought because the next thing he knew, he was startling awake from the sound of the door slamming open. Nicodemus Proudfoot had been Magnus’ own personal hell in the time he’d spent under the Clave’s control. He was a cruel, giant of a man who had been brought in to find a solution when the traditional ‘training’ methods hadn’t produced results.

He’d found a solution alright - one Magnus was sure he’d have nightmares about if he ever got out of this predicament. 

“You know, when they told me they’d adopted out my favorite little project, my heart broke. I thought I’d never see you again.” Nicodemus had always been the odd one out back in Idris. He knew exactly who Magnus had been. He’d always made sure to talk directly to him and, at first, the warlock had tried to answer. That had been beaten out of him pretty quickly. They’d added the muzzle for good measure. 

Magnus had hoped with every ounce of his being that he’d never see the despicable man again. 

He pushed himself as far back into the bars of the kennel as he could, wishing not for the first time that he’d somehow just melt through them. “Oh, come now. I know I trained you better than that. You should be right up front waiting for me like the obedient beast you are.” Magnus felt his heart rate pick up and his palms start itching. He knew what came next. He hated himself for reacting this way. He was the High Warlock of Brooklyn. He knew he was better than this. 

Nicodemus arched an eyebrow and waited. They had played this game before. The shadowhunter would wait him out. The longer it took for Magnus to respond, the worse he would be punished. He only hesitated for a moment longer, knowing that keeping his dignity was not worth what would follow if he didn’t obey. He shuffled to the front of the kennel on his hands and knees, reminding himself that he was now the  _ former _ High Warlock of Brooklyn. 

“Good dog.” The man smirked, unlocking the door to the kennel and letting himself inside. He ruffled Magnus’ hair gently for a moment before tightening his grip and forcing the warlock’s head up. “The Clave asked me to come here and show your new master how to work you. We wouldn’t want him thinking you’ve had poor training now, would we? I’m sure you are going to show him just how well-behaved you are.” Magnus did his best to nod, struggling a little due to the hand still in his hair. 

“That’s what I thought,” Nicodemus said, releasing Magnus harshly. “Do you need the muzzle today or will you keep quiet?” He shook his head quickly. He hated the muzzle any time they put it on him but it was worse during the hunts when he felt like he was suffocating. “I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt this time but you best not disappoint me. I think we would both hate what came next.” Magnus highly doubted that they’d both hate it because he distinctly remembered how much the shadowhunter enjoyed doling out his punishments but he wasn’t going to argue. He was going to behave like the well-trained beast he was. 

The hood was quickly pulled over his head and the world fell to darkness and silence. Magnus felt his heart rate quicken and he had to fight back every urge to tear the thing off or plead for Nicodemus to remove it. He had known this was coming, just like he knew what was still to come. He took a deep breath and tried to ground himself. He was still in his kennel in the New York Institute. Nicodemus was somewhere behind him. He might not be able to see but he could feel the displacement of air. He wasn’t safe but he wasn’t in any immediate danger. He took another deep breath and reminded himself that he knew how this worked. They’d done this countless times over the last year. The only thing that had changed was the location.

The hood was the only thing Magnus had ever actually seen. It was thick black leather that ran over his eyes and ears and under his chin. It reminded him of a falconry hood and he was convinced that was the Clave’s intention. He was but their loyal beast after all. 

The rest of the gear he wore, he could only guess about since the hood always went on first. The heavy chain slipped over his head next and sat below the runed collar, the metal cold against his skin. Magnus was pretty certain that there was nothing special about the choke chain and it was simply Nicodemus’ way to keep him close and control him. Next was some sort of harness that he assumed had a handle on the back. That had been the latest addition, coming a few days after the shadowhunter had almost strangled him by pulling him out of traffic. The Clave hadn’t been pleased their favorite asset had nearly died and told his handler to find another way to pull him back if needed. The harness had been his solution. The last thing added was a set of cuffs, keeping his arms restrained behind his back which Magnus felt was totally unnecessary. 

He felt the tug of the chain around his neck and struggled to his feet. He couldn’t see or hear but he’d become accustomed to Nicodemus’ signals, as much as he hated to admit it. He held still, waiting for the next tug that would let him know that they were moving. He felt the air move around him and he guessed that the shadowhunter was inspecting him, making sure everything was in tip-top shape before joining the others. He wanted to make a good impression. How touching. 

After another moment, he felt a much harsher tug and followed his handler out of the kennel and down the hallway. Magnus’ mental map of the Institute was a bit out of date he was sure, and he hadn’t been in any state to pay close attention to his surroundings yesterday, but he hazarded a guess that they were heading to the Ops room. He felt the floor under his bare feet shift from concrete to tile and gave himself a gold star for his deductive reasoning. He came to a stop with a sharp downward tug on the leash and dropped to his knees to wait for further instructions. 

Magnus wasn’t sure how much time had passed while they waited. It was hard to tell much of anything in his world of darkness and quiet. It wasn’t his job to question - only to obey. Finally, he felt the pull of the leash that meant get up and get moving and he scrambled to his feet. He followed his handler out the doors of the Institute and onto the streets of New York. Once they were off Institute property, it would be Magnus’ time to take the lead. 

As he wasn’t actually a demon and didn’t have any enhanced senses to track other demons, the work around the Clave had found for him was hairy at best. Without his eyes and ears, he was better able to focus on the ley lines and the feel of the magic around him even though his own abilities were locked away. The lack of distractions and the fact that like calls to like meant he could sense the presence of demons at a greater range than he normally could. He might not always be able to get an exact location sometimes but he could get pretty darn close. 

He felt a tap on his shoulder and knew that was Nicodemus’ signal for him to start tracking. He took a few hesitant steps before he felt the rush of a ley line under his feet. He let himself sink into that familiarity and followed it through the city. For a moment, he felt nothing overly demonic and tried to hold back a growing panic that he’d end up disappointing his handler and he would end up getting punished for it and he forced himself to sink a little deeper. There had to be  _ something. _

There. It was probably half a mile away at the least and it was faint but it was demonic. He nearly breathed a sigh of relief and gently set off in that direction. New York was his city. He’d lived here for quite a while and he knew the city well. Despite not being able to see, he weaved his way through the city streets, needing only a few tugs from Nicodemus to keep him on track and out of danger (he assumed, at least.)

Eventually, he stopped in his tracks and turned his head, raising his chin a little to indicate a building off to his right (if his memory served him well.) His handler stepped up next to him and tapped his shoulder. Magnus dropped to his knees and had to bite back a sigh. If it wasn’t for Shadowhunter glamor and the rune on his collar, he was sure the people of New York would assume something else was going on here. 

He waited. Nicodemus was still holding his leash and he could feel the man’s tension radiate through it. Magnus hated that he found himself desperate for his handler’s approval and sent up a silent prayer that they had found something in that building. At last, he felt the shadowhunter gently squeeze his shoulder and he let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. A job well done then. A tug brought him back to his feet and he waited for further instructions. Did the man want to go after another? Tension on the leash and a tap on his shoulder meant no - they were going home. He let Nicodemus guide them back towards the Institute and hoped he’d done well enough to escape any of the man’s punishments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to split this chapter in half. 
> 
> Up next, Alec's POV.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I apologize for my delay. I hadn’t realized you were already here already or I would have been more expedient in joining you.” He was starting to think it was less of a mistake on his people’s part and more of a set-up from the Clave. They had said they’d be sending representatives for random inspections. If they were hoping to catch him off-guard, having someone show up unannounced first thing in the morning was definitely the way to do it.
> 
> “No matter, are you ready to begin? I’m sure your time is precious.” He yanked the leash sharply and the demon struggled to his feet. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MIND THE TAGS. 
> 
> This is still very not nice to Magnus.

“Alec, the handler from the Clave is waiting for you in the Ops room.” Alec frowned at the man in the door of his office. That certainly wasn’t what he had expected to hear and Andrew didn’t look like it was news that he had wanted to deliver either.

“How long has he been here? Why didn’t someone tell me that he was here?” He asked, getting up to grab his weapons from the rack by the door. He might technically work for the Clave but he didn’t trust them as far as he could throw them. He didn’t want the handler that they had sent to be unsupervised in his Institute for any longer than necessary. 

“I just found out myself. I think he arrived during the previous shift. I didn’t realize he was here until he dragged your demon into the Ops room.” Underhill replied, following his boss out the door and down the hall. Something about the way he said that had a knot forming in Alec’s stomach.

“Thank you. Can you let Jace and Izzy know I’m going out? I know they’ll want to come but I think their presence will be… well, you know how they can get. I don’t think it would help relations, that’s for sure.” He’d almost forgotten that Jace had said the Clave would be sending a representative by in the morning the show him how to hunt with the demon. He wasn’t sure why they felt that it was necessary... surely he could figure it out himself. 

When he got to the Ops room, he had to fight back a wave of anger that rolled over him as he set eyes on the demon. The man was on his knees in front of Nicodemus Proudfoot, a hood over his eyes and another collar around his neck that was attached to a leash in the shadowhunter’s hands. Alec didn’t know Nicodemus personally but he had heard the rumors about him - he was a brute of a man that was supposedly the Clave’s Fixer. If there was a problem that they didn’t want to handle, they sent him in to make it go away. Apparently, his demon had been one of those problems.

“Mr. Lightwood, thank you for joining me. Congratulations on your promotion.” The man sneered, tightening his grip on the leash. The demon didn’t react outside of holding his position a little more tensely and Alec realized he was reacting to Nicodemus’ movement as opposed to his words. Apparently, the hood that he was wearing left him deaf as well as blind.  _ Raziel, demon or not, how could they think this was okay? _

“I apologize for my delay. I hadn’t realized you were already here already or I would have been more expedient in joining you.” He was starting to think it was less of a mistake on his people’s part and more of a set-up from the Clave. They had said they’d be sending representatives for random inspections. If they were hoping to catch him off-guard, having someone show up unannounced first thing in the morning was definitely the way to do it.

“No matter, are you ready to begin? I’m sure your time is precious.” He yanked the leash sharply and the demon struggled to his feet. 

“You’re taking him out like that? Shouldn’t we give him shoes or a shirt?” Alec asked, following the man towards the door of the Institute. “It’s New York in late November...it’s not exactly for the faint of heart.”

“He’s a demon. He doesn’t need them. If you show him any kindness, he’ll just take advantage of you. You’d do well to remember that, Lightwood.” The man’s words were cruel but it didn’t escape Alec that he’d used the word him. He filed that away with the rest of his suspicions that something more was going on here and he had a feeling that he was definitely not going to like what he found. 

The trio stopped once they were off Institute property and Nicodemus tapped the man on the shoulder. He transferred the leash to his other hand and pulled out a stele, waving it over a glamor rune on his arm and gesturing for Alec to follow suit. He turned his attention to the demon and activated the same mark on the runed collar.

“He can’t hear or see with the hood on but we’ve found the sensory deprivation actually helps him track better. He doesn’t have the nose the other demons had so we had to get creative.” The handler explained, watching as the demon took two steps and paused. He turned slowly, trying to get a read on his surroundings, and then started down the sidewalk. 

“He will respond to tugs and taps most of the time. Occasionally he can be stubborn but I think we’ve gotten that corrected for the most part. I use the taps to mean stop or go, the tugs on the leash I feel are pretty self-explanatory. We’ve done this often enough that he can usually guess what you want. If you use something else, you’ll have to give him some time to adjust but he’s not a complete idiot. He’ll usually pick it up pretty fast, especially if he knows the consequences for disobeying.” The demon started walking, leading them down the street and around a corner. Alec followed a few steps behind Nicodemus, observing the pair from a distance but ready to jump in should the need arise. 

He absolutely hated every minute of this but Alec wasn’t stupid. He knew that he could not take on the Clave alone. This couldn’t take that long, surely. Once they were done, Nicodemus would leave and he could do his best to figure out what exactly was going on here and how he could start to fix it. “What’s with the harness?” He asked after a few minutes. Nicodemus turned back to him, giving him a quick, vicious grin before turning his attention back to watching where the demon was going. 

“He nearly got himself killed walking into traffic once,” He said in explanation. “We figured this was less stressful on the creature than yanking him back with the leash. Definitely less chance of strangling him, that’s for sure. We wouldn’t want to lose one of our favorite assets.” Alec wanted to point out that if they hadn’t kept him blind that accidentally walking into traffic wouldn’t have been an issue in the first place but he bit his tongue to keep his mouth shut, reminding himself that he needed more information before he got into it with the Clave. Patience is a virtue as they say.

He wasn’t one for unnecessary conversation so Alec stayed silent and simply observed, anger slowly building as they continued their hunt. He watched as the other man made a few little corrective tugs on the leash to keep the demon on a sidewalk or from running into the side of a building and he watched as a stumble caused by a crack in the concrete was treated with a sharper jerk of the leash rather than a gentle hand to keep him from falling. They eventually came to a stop in front of an old brick building and the hooded man raised his chin. 

“There you go. Something in there, apparently. Why don’t you go take a look, Shadowhunter?” Alec glared at the man as he un-glamoured his bow and nocked an arrow. Going in alone seemed like a stupid idea but he didn’t see how Nicodemus could possibly be useful while watching out for a demon who couldn’t see or hear the danger he was in. At the very least, he could go in and gather information before calling back and arranging for a full team to arrive at the location. 

He slipped into the building, keeping to the shadows as he glanced around. The warehouse was empty, save for a few rundown pieces of furniture left by the previous tenant. The building creaked, as empty, old buildings tend to do but under that… he heard a quiet chittering that instantly had him on alarm. It doesn’t matter what sort of demon it is, that sound is always a bad sign. 

He kept his bow pointed at the ground and the arrow loose between his fingers, relaxed but ready to go at a moment’s notice as he quietly made his way through the building. The sound seemed to be coming from a back corner that remained hidden in darkness despite the rising sun and the high glass windows. His foot scuffed the floor and he winced, he should have activated a soundless rune before entering. Stupid, Alec. Very, very stupid. 

The clicking noise stopped and Alec froze, holding his breath and wishing that he had at least brought Jace with him, despite the blond’s tendency to be hot-headed. He’d deal with whatever was about to come because he’s a Lightwood and that’s what Lightwoods do but it would have been comforting to know that he had his parabatai at his back. 

A flash of teeth and sharp, bony limbs threw itself at him and he instinctively rolled out of the way, just barely missing a swipe at his shoulder. He rose to his feet and let loose the arrow he’d been holding, knowing that it would be more of a distraction rather than an actual effort at attack to buy him a few precious moments to re-evaluate the situation. The creature that had been hiding in the warehouse was a mantid demon and where one mantid demon was, more were sure to follow. 

He swore under his breath and drew another arrow, this time aiming for a tender spot in the nearly impenetrable carapace. His arrow struck true and the creature screamed but Alec knew it wouldn’t be enough to take the demon down. Instead, he shouldered his bow and unsheathed his seraph blade, running forward and slashing upwards through the soft tissue in the joint of one of its massive front claws. 

It wasn’t a clean enough swipe to sever the limb but it significantly slowed the creature down. It turned its attention back towards Alec but with an arrow in its back and limb nearly sliced in half, it wasn’t in much of a position to keep up the fight. It was certainly going to try though, smart enough to know that it wasn’t ready to die yet. The mantid lunged toward Alec, trying to use its teeth this time but the Shadowhunter spun, a spike on its arm catching his side in a flash of pain. 

Mantids may be pretty fast but they couldn’t turn on a dime and this one was pretty weak already. Alec drove his seraph blade in a weak spot in the carapace by its neck and the creature dropped to the ground with a few last, unconscious twitches. He stood for a moment, catching his breath before pulling up his shirt. The demon had gotten him though it didn’t look to be too bad - something an iratze could likely heal once they got back to the Institute. 

That had been easy. Almost TOO easy. Mantids weren’t demons that hunted alone - they swarmed. So what had this one been doing all by its lonesome in a deserted warehouse? He grabbed the two arrows he’d released earlier and stuck them back in his quiver. Not only was the creature alone but it had also seemed fairly weak. Alec was good, very good, at what he did but the fight was still over way too quickly for comfort. 

Nicodemus was still in the same spot, Alec noticed as he exited the building and shielded his eyes against the morning sun. His demon was on his knees by the man’s feet, tension apparent in every line of his body. “Successful hunt I take it?” He asked, his eyes landing on the wound on Alec’s stomach with a small smirk on his face as he squeezed the hooded man’s shoulder.

“A single mantid demon. I didn’t see any others but I’ll dispatch a team to investigate further once we get back.” Alec replied, returning his blade to its sheath and wiping some excess grime on his already ruined shirt. 

“You aren’t up for another, Shadowhunter? I’d hate to think the Clave promoted you too early. Are you not ready for the responsibility of taking care of your city?” Nicodemus sneered, jerking the leash and pulling the demon roughly to his feet.

“I don’t feel another is necessary. They sent you here to teach me how to hunt with him and I think I’ve already seen enough. I have an injury that, while mild, still should be looked at by one of the healers at the Institute. On top of that, I just took out a single mantid demon. You should know that they don’t hunt alone. I’ve got my city’s best interest in mind when I say the best thing for me to do would be to return to the Institute and dispatch a team or two to investigate the area. I can’t take on a whole swarm of mantid demons alone and I doubt that you can either.” Alec practically growled, nearly nose to nose with the man. “I think you’ve overstayed your welcome, Mr. Proudfoot. I’ll gladly take the leash as we head back. I wouldn’t want the Clave to think I’m remiss in my duties, after all.”

There was a brief standoff and Alec worried that he had played his hand too soon. Nicodemus’ eyes narrowed and he shoved the leash into the other Shadowhunter’s hands. “Of course not, Lightwood. We wouldn’t want them thinking that.” He made no motion to move and Alec waved a hand towards the sidewalk. 

“After you.” He replied with a purely professional smile. Nicodemus stalked out of the alley and back towards the Institute. Alec took a moment to let his mind settle from the events of the last twenty minutes before turning his attention back to the demon with a sigh. All he wanted right now was to take the damn hood off, the choke collar, the other restraints...but Nicodemus was still out there and he’d report his findings to the Clave. It was better to play along until they got back and he could make sure the handler had left the building. Don’t show him any kindness, he’d warned earlier. 

Alec tapped the demon on the shoulder and gently tugged him in the direction they had come from. “Come on,” He muttered, knowing the man couldn’t hear him. “Let’s go home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'Why didn't Alec do more?" Alec is still trying to play the Clave's game for a little bit longer. Like he says, he can't take on the Clave alone. I promise, things will get better.  
> "Magnus said Nicodemus led him back." Magnus can't see... he doesn't actually know who held the leash.
> 
> We're getting close to some actual revelations, I promise.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Look, I know you don’t trust me. I can’t blame you but I don’t necessarily trust the Clave either. I don’t know what’s going on here or how you came to be in Idris...but I don’t think you’re just another hellhound, despite what they tell me. Please, give me a chance. Let me help.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MIND THE TAGS. 
> 
> This remains not very nice to Magnus.

When they arrived back at the Institute, Jace and Izzy were waiting for them in the foyer. He was sure that Jace could feel the anger rolling off the parabatai bond and had warned Izzy about Alec’s mood and while he wanted nothing more than to offer a further explanation to his siblings, he still had another issue to take care of first. “Jace, we ran into a single Mantid demon in the old sugar factory. Can you dispatch a team to investigate? Where there is one Mantid demon, I’m sure there are probably more somewhere.”

His brother nodded and turned to the display next to him to see who was available. “Izzy,” he started turning his attention to his sister who was staring at the demon with a pained look on her face. “I’ve got a minor cut,” he pointed to the wound on his stomach with his free hand, “I’ll be heading down to medical once I see Mr. Proudfoot out and get the demon situated. I’m not in any immediate danger of keeling over but can you let them know to expect me?”

His sister acknowledged his request with a tip of her head and left the room, allowing Alec to turn his attention back to Nicodemus. The demon had dropped to his knees, realizing that they were back at the institute and weren’t making any immediate moves. The man was trembling ever so slightly and Alec wanted to rip the stupid hood off and tell him that it was okay. He must have realized Nicodemus no longer held the leash, however, and he leaned lightly against Alec’s leg. Alec instinctively brought his hand to the back of the man’s neck to comfort him. 

“Thank you for your time,” he stated, turning his attention back to the Clave representative. “Your training was eye-opening but I feel confident that I can manage from here. Now, I believe there is a portal waiting for you? Shall we?” He waved his arm in that general direction and gave the man a pointed stare. Nicodemus grumbled and headed toward the direction of the portal and Alec reached down to gently help the man to his feet. “Almost there, I promise,” he muttered under his breath, wishing not for the first time today, that the man could hear him. He placed his hand on the demon’s lower back, trying to convey that it was still not Nicodemus who held the leash, before giving it a gentle tug and following the handler out of the room. 

As soon as the portal closed, Alec sighed and turned back to the now empty room, thankful, at least, for the little bit of privacy that they were afforded. The demon had dropped to his knees again, probably courtesy of Nicodemus’ questionable training methods. Alec slipped the loop of the leash over his arm and reached down to unbuckle the chin strap of the hood. The other man froze, obviously aware that something was different and the Shadowhunter had to remind himself that he’d be able to communicate with him as soon as the hood was off. 

He tucked the piece of leather under his arm and found gold cat eyes staring back at him. “Better?” He asked, giving the man a small smile. The demon instantly brought his eyes back toward the ground and Alec sighed. “Come on, then. Let’s get you squared away. If I don’t show up in medical soon my sister will kill me herself.” He knelt down to undo the cuffs binding the demons’ arms behind his back and helped him to his feet.

He led the man back to the kennel and removed the last two items that Nicodemus had dressed him in this morning. “Look, I know you don’t trust me. I can’t blame you but I don’t necessarily trust the Clave either. I don’t know what’s going on here or how you came to be in Idris...but I don’t think you’re just another hellhound, despite what they tell me. Please, give me a chance. Let me help.” The demon didn’t react, still on his knees in the kennel with his eyes to the ground, a picture-perfect example of obedience. “I’m going to go make sure I’m not dying and then I’ll be back with lunch. Any requests?

He didn’t expect an answer. 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

His sister was waiting for him in medical and he stripped off his ruined shirt and sat on the bed before she could give him a hard time. “It’s just a minor cut, Iz. I just needed to do some posturing in front of Nicodemus. That man is vile. If they try to send him for their ‘random inspections’ I’m going to have to have serious words with someone. I don’t want him stepping foot in this institute again.”

She hummed, fingers prodding at the wound on his side. “It looks like it barely swiped you. I don’t think we have any venom to worry about. An iratze should take care of it just fine.” Her tone was clipped and had Alec scrambling back through the last fifteen minutes trying to figure out what may have upset her. 

“Izzy, you know I don’t agree with how they were treating him but Nicodemus had already pulled him out and had him kitted up before I even knew he was here. I’ve got to keep playing the Clave’s game until we have more information. I wish he’d talk to me, and I’m certain he can but until he does, we still have to work under the assumption that he’s a demon. One of the first things Nicodemus said to me today is that I can’t show him kindness or he’d take advantage of me. Would he warn me about that for just another demon?”

Iratze drawn, she handed him back his shirt with a grimace. “From what I know of Nicodemus Proudfoot, I’m surprised they brought him in to train a demon for the hunts. He usually makes problems disappear, not fixes them.”

“Exactly, why go to all that trouble for just a normal demon?” He pulled his shirt back on, taking a quick look at the tear. It wasn’t bad enough that he’d need to change immediately but he should probably make himself look presentable at some point. “I don’t suppose you or Jace found anything in your research?”

“It’s like he’s a ghost,” Jace replied from the doorway. “I’ve sent two teams to the warehouse to do a grid search. If there are any more Mantid demons, they’ll turn them up.” Jace and Izzy followed him down the hallway towards his office to keep their conversation private. Once the door was shut, his brother continued his explanation. “We’ve checked all of our files and done some poking around in the Clave files. Izzy thinks there is a high probability that he’s a warlock  but they are so few and far between these days.”

“You’d think with eyes like those, he’d show up in some file somewhere, but we’ve found nothing. I can put out some feelers to the Downworld but they’ve been pretty close-lipped recently. The distrust for the Clave is running pretty high right now.” His sister sighed, dropping onto the couch and kicking her feet up on the coffee table. 

“If there’s anyone still willing to talk to us, any information is appreciated,” Alec replied, pinching the bridge of his nose. They needed more information and for that, they needed the man to talk to them. Trust could not come soon enough.

Before either could reply, the room went dark and a klaxon started sounding from somewhere deeper in the building. Alec’s head shot up and he was running for the door before he had a chance to process what had happened, Izzy and Jace hot at his heels. 

“Andrew?” He asked, fighting to make himself heard over the hustle of the now-dark Ops room. 

“We were just hit with a huge spell. Power is pretty much non-existent right now. We’re not sure how it got through the wards but we’re trying to get things back online as soon as possible.”

“How do we not have a plan in place for a magical attack of this nature? We were targeted specifically it seems so someone wanted to take us offline. Jace, Iz...grab a few of the more seasoned people and start combing the building. I want to know if you even find a new crack on the floor.” His siblings took off down the hallway, shouting at a few faces they recognized as they moved. 

“Nicodemus left not even an hour ago. Who knows how long he was in the building when he arrived this morning before any of us even realized that he was here. I don’t believe in coincidences, do you?” He asked under his breath as Underhill joined him by the railing.

“It certainly seems suspicious,” the other man replied simply. 

“I trust Izzy and Jace to sweep the building but I’m going to check the kennels. This whole situation is rubbing me the wrong way. Do your best to get us back up and running and call me as soon as anything changes.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost there! Things will start looking better for Magnus soon.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It was only minutes before a heavy wave of magic rolled over him and a klaxon started to sound from down the hall. Magnus opened his eyes to near-total darkness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MIND THE TAGS...this is still not very nice to Magnus (but it's finally starting to get better!)

It didn’t take Magnus very long to realize that it was no longer Nicodemus holding his leash. The tugs were too gentle and too few and far between. He’d been told by the older Shadowhunter that the Clave had insisted he come to train the Lightwood boy in how to track with him...as rubbish of a job as he did (honestly, he should have chosen a hellhound if he had wanted a demon who could track worth a damn.) He had to guess that the gentle hand belonged to Alexander. 

When he felt the floor beneath his bare feet switch from asphalt to concrete back to the polished title of the Ops Room and a hand gently squeeze his shoulder, he dropped to his knees. It might be Alec currently holding his leash but he had no idea where Nicodemus was. He remembered the man’s earlier warning to behave and shuddered. The last thing he needed was for the shadowhunter to train his new master in his punishments as well. 

He felt a hand on the back of his neck and he leaned into the touch, disgusted with himself that he was so desperate for gentleness that he’d accept it wherever and whenever he could get it. They stayed like that for another few moments and he wished that could tell what was going on. There was some tension in the leash and a little in the way Alec was standing so he could only guess he was still speaking to Nicodemus...or dealing with the fallout of the demon they’d tracked earlier. Either were possible at this point. 

Instead of the normal harsh tug, he felt around his neck when it was time for him to get up, he felt a hand reach under his arm and help him to his feet. He stood there for a moment in a daze before a gentle pull and a hand on his lower back led him out of the room. They weren’t going back to the kennel, not immediately, and he struggled to try to pinpoint their location in his out-dated mental map of the Institute. 

They stopped again and Magnus debated briefly on whether or not to drop to his knees. He didn’t think Alec would require it of him like Nicodemus had but at the same time, he had no way of knowing if his handler was still around.  _ Best behavior,  _ he reminded himself,  _ be the perfectly obedient dog that they wanted until he was sure he was safe.  _ Acting impulsively had gotten him in this whole damn situation, he wasn’t going to make that mistake again.

The leash went slack and Magnus froze, trying to ascertain what was coming next. He knew they weren’t back in his kennel but Alec’s signals were so different from Nicodemus’ it was hard for the warlock to tell what exactly was expected of him. He was sure he’d come to learn what was being asked of him in time, just as he had when his handler had first put that damn hood on him, but it was still going to be a rather unfortunate learning curve in the meantime. 

He absolutely did not expect the hood to be pulled off his head and quickly averted his eyes.  _ Rule number 3: never look your masters in the eyes _ , Nicodemus’ voice whispered from the back of his mind. Damn training. He nearly burned with shame but he still couldn’t stop himself from actions that had nearly become involuntary now. 

“Better?” Alec gave him a moment to answer as he always tried to do before reaching down to undo the cuffs as well.  “Come on, then. Let’s get you squared away. If I don’t show up in medical soon my sister will kill me herself.” Magnus knew the boy wanted some reaction, any sort of reaction, from him but he found bad habits hard to break. He knew what was expected of him when his gear was on. He was helped to his feet a moment later and led back to his kennel. 

Alec removed the harness and the choke collar and left him alone with the promise to bring him food once his wound had been seen to. Magnus bit back the snarky reply that was on the tip of his tongue - that had he had his magic and wasn’t in a cage he could have helped with better than any Shadowhunter could.  _ Beasts don’t speak _ , after all. 

He took a seat and tried to make himself comfortable leaning against the bars at the back of his kennel and closing his eyes. Reasonably, he knew that Alec would be back soon with another sandwich or whatever the boy deemed fit for him to eat but he was just so  _ tired _ . He’d take any moment of rest he could get. He had to.

It was only minutes before a heavy wave of magic rolled over him and a klaxon started to sound from down the hall. Magnus opened his eyes to near-total darkness. He could hear the Shadowhunters outside rushing about, trying to figure out what had caused their power outage and set off their alarms and his heart started to beat quickly. Something was wrong. Something was going on out there and he was trapped in a cage in the dark - alone and defenseless after what appeared to be a targeted magical attack.

As the minutes ticked by and the darkness and the oppressive magic continued he wished that someone at least would poke their head in and check on him… but why would they? They saw him as nothing more than a tool. You wouldn’t ask your hammer if it was okay, after all. 

“The great Magnus Bane has finally been brought to heel.”

Magnus froze, the bottom dropping out of his stomach and a chill rolling down his spine. He knew that voice all too well. That voice was responsible for the situation he was in now. He had been hoping that he would never have to hear it again but here, in the midst of the chaos the New York Institute was currently experiencing, he found himself once again face to face with the man who helped the Clave bring him in. 

“What do you want, Valentine?” He growled, taking a few steps closer and glaring at the man through the bars of his kennel. 

“My, my...that’s no way to talk to your betters. Maybe your master should muzzle you… oh wait, I guess they already have.” The man had stepped out of the shadows by a secondary door and quickly crossed the room with a wicked grin on his face.

“Did you engineer this just so you could come here and gloat?” Magnus asked, choosing to ignore the shadowhunter’s comment. He knew he was being toyed with and he refused to play into the other man’s game. 

“No, there was something that I needed here...this was just the icing on the cake. I’m surprised the Clave kept you, I thought for sure they would have killed you by now. “

“Not for lack of trying, I assure you.” He muttered, crossing his arms. Magnus knew there were cameras in this room but either Valentine didn’t care or those too had been taken out by whatever spell had rolled through the Institute a few minutes ago.

“I just had to see for myself. You know, I think I’m even more surprised that they let you go. There’s so much you can do with a pet warlock, after all. But enough of that… I’ve got things to do, places to be...until we meet again, Magnus Bane. Enjoy your kennel, pup.” He stepped back through the door and the room fell quiet. The warlock stepped forward, wrapping his hands around the bars as he strained to get a better look at the back of the room, trying to be sure that Valentine had indeed left. After a few moments of stillness, he let out a breath he hadn’t realized that he had been holding. 

“You know Valentine,” A voice stated from the main door near the front, causing Magnus to jump and stumble backward. Alec. He hadn’t realized that the Shadowhunter had returned. He should be with the others, running around trying to pinpoint the spell that had hit the Institute and determine how to fix it but he was here instead, a glowing seraph blade in one hand and a concerned expression on his face.

Magnus wasn’t ready to talk to the man who now held his leash, even if that man had been nothing but kind to him thus far. He wasn’t sure how long Alec had been standing in the doorway but it had been long enough for him to hear at least part of the conversation between the warlock and Valentine. He supposed he didn’t really have an option anymore. “Unfortunately.” He replied quietly, moving towards the back of the cage and trying to tuck himself into the corner. 

“He called you Magnus Bane.” Alec had moved closer but didn’t try to open the kennel door. He didn’t want to crowd Magnus, it was clear the other man wasn’t entirely comfortable with the situation at hand.

“My name.” He kept his answers short, trying to withhold as much information as possible until it was absolutely necessary, unwillingly to give the very last shreds of who he had been to the Clave.

“You aren’t a demon, are you?” Alec’s voice was soft and Magnus chanced a brief look at his face. The boy’s eyes were sad and something about that look shattered Magnus’ heart. Even though Alec was his current master and he should have nothing but disgust for him, Magnus found himself wanting to do whatever it took to make that expression disappear.

“No.” Neither moved for a few seconds before Alec sighed and unlocked the kennel door, letting it swing open.

“Come on, then. Let’s go to my office and talk. I’m sure Izzy and Jace will show up at some point...because that’s what they do and hopefully, someone has figured out whatever is going on with the power. It seems like Valentine is involved now, and the implications of that give me an immediate headache, but we still need to get the Institute back online first and foremost. ” He walked back towards the hallway and paused after a few feet. “Aren’t you coming?” He asked, noticing how Magnus hesitated at the door of the kennel. 

“Aren’t you going to…?” Magnus started, his eyes flicking over to where the choke collar and leash hung on the wall. 

“You’re not a demon. Come on,” Alec replied, noticing that the warlock still wouldn’t step foot out of the cage. “Magnus, I just want to talk. That’s all I’ve been wanting for the last two days. I don’t know what Nicodemus did to you, I can only  _ begin _ to imagine… I promise you that this isn’t a trick. We’re going to go to my office where it’s a lot more comfortable to have a conversation. It’s a little bit chaotic right now with the power out so no one will notice us on our way there. My siblings are nosy busybodies so they will likely join us at some point. We’ve been trying to figure out who you were for two days now… I know it’s asking an awful lot rather quickly but please? Trust me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter gave me nothing but trouble, trouble, and then more trouble. Next up: Truths are had and things start looking a little bit better for Magnus.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Magnus Bane… like the former High Warlock of Brooklyn Magnus Bane?” Izzy asked, raising an eyebrow. “They said you went missing. There was speculation that you just grew bored of New York and took off.” Alec mentally cursed himself - he knew the name sounded familiar. He vaguely recalled when the report had come across his desk - no one thought that there had been any reason to investigate further. Magnus was like that, they all assured him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh... yeah. Again, I've got no excuse for myself.
> 
> THINGS FINALLY START TO GET BETTER FOR MAGNUS BUT STILL MIND THE TAGS.

Magnus followed him through the darkened halls and Alec did his best to keep them out of sight. It was clear the other man was nervous and Alec could only begin to imagine what he’d been through with the Clave, especially after seeing the way he’d been treated by Nicodemus earlier in the day. 

His siblings weren’t waiting for them but they seemed to materialize almost as soon as Magnus and Alec had let themselves into the room. Alec waved towards the couch, probably more for Magnus’ benefit than theirs, inviting them all to take a seat. Jace and Isabelle had comfortably taken over one couch and Alec took a seat at one across it. After considering his options for a moment, the warlock took a seat on the floor in front of Alec’s couch. The man eyed him with a questioning look but chose to let it slide for now. It was not the time nor place for that conversation. 

“Jace, Izzy...officially meet Magnus Bane. He is most certainly not a demon.” He tried to give the man a comforting smile but found that Magnus’ eyes were focused on the floor in front of him.

“Magnus Bane… like the former High Warlock of Brooklyn Magnus Bane?” Izzy asked, raising an eyebrow. “They said you went missing. There was speculation that you just grew bored of New York and took off.” Alec mentally cursed himself - he knew the name sounded familiar. He vaguely recalled when the report had come across his desk - no one thought that there had been any reason to investigate further. Magnus was like that, they all assured him.

“I am very obviously not missing nor did I leave New York willingly. I went on a rather rudely enforced sabbatical.” There was a bitterness in Magnus’ voice and Alec didn’t doubt for a second that he had every right to feel that way...and more.

Alec snorted, having seen first-hand where Magnus had been kept in Idris and what was expected of him during the hunt that morning. “I think it’s a little more than that.” Magnus chose not to answer, cocking his head to the side in affirmation. “Valentine paid him a visit. It seems he’s behind whatever is happening here. What I don’t understand is how he managed to get through the wards.”

“Because your wards are practically non-existent right now.” Three sets of eyes locked onto Magnus and he did his best not to squirm under the attention. He had assumed that they knew - wasn’t keeping up with the wards part of the Head’s job? Had things really changed that much in the year that he had been gone?

“Explain.”

“All I mean is I might not have access to my magic, but I can still feel the wards. I can tell that I was the last one to renew them because my signature is written into the spells. He didn’t have to barrel through them, he barely had to knock.”

Alec swore. How had he not known that? Why wasn’t it in a file somewhere? If he was responsible for keeping his people safe, he damn well expected to at least be given the tools to do so. “Could you refresh the wards?”

“If I had my magic, of course. I don’t suppose you can do anything about this?” He asked, tugging at the collar around his neck. Alec shook his head. He’d already looked but neither the key nor the instructions to remove it had not been in the box of gear the Clave had provided him. “Without that, I can possibly point you to a warlock or two who can do it for you right now. I’m not sure where they are at the moment - I sort of lost track of everyone while I was on, uh...holiday. But that’s the beauty of a fire message and a portal - it won’t take long to find them if they’re willing and even less time to get them here.”

Would Catarina or Ragnor be willing to help them? Were they even still around? Magnus was sure they’d at least respond to a fire message if it came from him - they’d likely been wondering where he’d gotten off to. Could he trust these children enough to bring in the very people he considered family? 

He was starting to think that he could. 

Alec sighed, letting his head fall to his hands as he tried to think around the problem. “And what about Valentine? What’s your relationship with him?”

Magnus scoffed, crossing his arms with a scowl. “Not much of a relationship. The Clave asked me to help track down a rogue Shadowhunter a little over a year ago. He was surprisingly hard to pinpoint. Once I had a location, we moved to the area but it turned out to be a setup. I was taken into custody and, well…” his voice trailed off but he gestured towards his current state. 

“They asked you to help and then arrested you?” This time it was Jace who spoke, the underlying anger clear in his voice.

“Can you really say you’re surprised? The Clave isn’t known to have the greatest morals. I’ve always been a thorn in their side. Honestly, I’m surprised they didn’t just kill me. I would have if I was in their shoes.”

“I think that was their intention,” Izzy started, giving Magnus a sad smile. “Nicodemus is a fixer. He’s usually brought in when death is the only available option.  _ Why _ they let him be your handler instead…that I don’t get. That’s not exactly in his job description, varied it may be.”

Magnus thought back to the first few conversations he’d ever had with the older Shadowhunter. “He said he had a plan for me,” he muttered after a moment, closing his eyes to try to replay the memory in his head. “I took that to mean that the Clave had a plan for me. I didn’t really have reason to believe anything different and I wasn’t in any position to be questioning my captors.”

Alec pushed himself off the couch and started pacing between them. “So where are we? You get called in by the Clave a year ago to help track Valentine. That turns out to be a set-up and they take you into custody.”

Magnus hummed, following the Shadowhunter with his eyes. “They tried their own methods to get me to agree to work for them for a few weeks. When that failed, they called in Nicodemus, presumably to make me disappear. Something changed their minds. They stopped trying to get my cooperation and took to training me for obedience. You’ve seen the result of that though I’m surprised they even agreed to let you take me. I assumed I was there to stay.”

“Not without plenty of terms and conditions, I assure you. The feeling I got was the person who said yes and the one who signed off on the paperwork weren’t in agreement. They did make a point to say we’d be subject to random inspections for the next year and if anything was found to be out of compliance, they’d be taking you back. Now I’m starting to think that they were hoping that I’d mess up so that they could.”

Magnus tried not to stew on that too long. He most certainly did not want to go back to Idris and he was willing to do whatever it took to ensure that he didn’t.

“They send Nicodemus here to show you how they trained me -”

“And he arrives without letting anyone know,” Alec said, cutting the warlock off. “We weren’t even aware he was here until he pulled you out on the Ops floor. And it wasn’t long after we saw him through the portal that we lost power. He’d already rubbed me the wrong way during that farce of a training session. I went to find you thinking that it was possible he was going to try and take you back. I didn’t expect to run into Valentine.”

Valentine. 

“I asked him if he was there to gloat and he said that the New York Institute had something that he needed.”

Alec sighed, already on his way towards the door. “And we can’t do a true inventory until the power is back up.” He caught Underhill’s eye and waved him over. “Andrew, Valentine breached the building. Everyone is fine but we’ve got a reason to believe he was here for something specific. Keep an eye out without making it look like we know anything more. And I don’t suppose you have an ETA on when we’ll be back in business?”

“Hopefully any minute now. The spell that hit us was large. We’ve been able to piecemeal it back together in the meantime but it will need some serious repairs if we’re going to want to function in the long run.”

“Understood. Thank you. Keep me in the loop and let me know if you find out anything more.” He closed the door behind him right as the lights kicked on. “Finally, but it seems we’re not out of the woods yet. According to Andrew, we’re barely functioning right now. Magnus, now might be the ideal time to see if we can reach your contacts for some ward repairs. It looks like we’re going to need them sooner rather than later.”

“I’ll write the letter but someone will need to send it. I can’t make any promises either… warlocks aren’t exactly the trusting type.”


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I… think this will be enough to get his attention. He should, at the very least, recognize my handwriting. Convincing him to come, however, that might take some work. He doesn’t have a lot of trust in Shadowhunters.”

Now that the power was back on, they had to get back to work. “Izzy, can you go poke around and see if you can figure out what, if anything, is missing. Until we know for sure, we want to keep what we know under wraps. I’m still not entirely convinced that Nicodemus didn’t have help getting in here unnoticed this morning.” His sister nodded and slipped out the door, closing it with a soft click behind her. He turned his attention back to the other two men in the room. 

He grabbed some paper and a pen and handed it to Magnus. “Can you get started on whatever you need to say to your friend to get him to come and look at the wards without immediately killing us?”

“Ragnor is a bit of a curmudgeon but I can at least get his interest - I’m sure he’s noticed that I was missing.” At least he hoped. It was entirely possible Ragnor had gotten caught up in research and hadn’t actually noticed that Magnus hadn’t contacted him for a year. It wouldn’t be the first time.

He wrote a quick message, not getting too in-depth when it came to his situation and signed it in a very uniquely Magnus Bane way. Ragnor would still likely have doubts but that should be enough to get a response from the grumpy old man.

While Magnus was composing his letter, Alec pulled Jace closer to the door. “Can you see if you can find Magnus something to wear?” He asked, keeping his voice low as he glanced to the still shirtless warlock. 

“Of course, Alec. I’ll be back in a few.” Jace replied, already out the door. Once he was gone, Alec turned his attention back to Magnus. The warlock was reading over the letter he had written with a frown. 

“I… think this will be enough to get his attention. He should, at the very least, recognize my handwriting. Convincing him to come, however, that might take some work. He doesn’t have a lot of trust in Shadowhunters.” That was an understatement, Magnus knew. Ragnor didn’t have a lot of trust in almost everyone outside of his very, very small circle of friends. “And if they even suspect that the Clave was the reason for my disappearance, he might refuse to come at all. But we can give it a shot. If that doesn’t work, there are others I can try.”

Catarina would be his last resort. She had a daughter now and he didn’t want to risk roping her into what he was sure would turn out to be a dangerous mess. He handed the paper over to Alec and watched as the Shadowhunter traced over it with a fire rune.

“I want to apologize,” Alec said after the letter had burnt entirely. “For the last few days. I should have known that there was more to the story. The file the Clave sent with you was jarringly incomplete.”

“It’s not your fault. You weren’t the one to put me in the situation in the first place and you had no way of knowing. I could have said something sooner. I could tell you weren’t like the others.” He, truthfully, had been able to tell something was different about the Lightwood boy from the moment he had kneeled down in front of his kennel. When was the last time anyone had looked at him with pity? Or kindness for that matter.

“You shouldn’t blame yourself either. You had absolutely no reason to trust any of us, especially after spending the last year in Nicodemus’ hands. He’s despicable.”

Jace slipped back into the room carrying a change of clothes and handed them to Alec without a word, leaving them to their conversation. “Here,” Alec said, offering the pile to the warlock. “I figure you probably want to get dressed before your friend arrives. There’s a bathroom through there. You can take a shower or just get dressed - it’s up to you.” He pointed towards a door at the back Magnus hadn’t noticed before. 

“A shower would be lovely. Before they brought me here, they just sort of sprayed me with a hose.” Magnus noticed Alec’s wince but didn’t respond as he closed the bathroom door behind him. 

The clothes they’d give him were simple and probably some Shadowhunter’s spare workout clothes. Grey sweatpants with a plain black sure but  _ Lillith,  _ when was the last time he’d been given a shirt since he’d been taken by the Clave?

As much as he wanted to savor the shower, he took a quick one. There would hopefully be time to truly enjoy it later. When he’d finished, he got dressed and wished not for the first time that he’d had his magic to style his hair or do his makeup.  _ Little steps,  _ he reminded himself. Shower, clean clothes for now and worry about the rest later. __

Alec was sitting at his desk but he raised his eyes at the sound of the door. “This came for you, I figured it would be best to let you reply since we want to convince him to help us not scare him off.” He handed the note to Magnus and let him read over it. 

“I think he’ll help us, he just wants to be sure it’s me. He must have realized I was missing.” Alec handed him a sheet of paper and Magnus launched into a lengthy story from one of their many trips to Peru - it would be something only he, Catarina, and Ragnor would know. Well, maybe Raphael knew by association but they would be the only few. There would definitely be no way for the Clave to fake his response. He signed his name and included a thinly veiled insult that he was sure Ragnor would have something to say about and handed it back to Alec to send it. 

This time, he received a response back almost instantly. “He’ll come, but he won’t walk in the front door. He doesn’t want anyone to know he’s here. With your wards the way they are, he can probably just portal straight in here without much resistance...if that’s okay.” Alec nodded and Magnus sent off the last letter before taking a seat on the floor in front of the couch one more time. A portal opened only a few moments later.

“Magnus Bane, I thought for sure you’d died.” Magnus glanced up to find his oldest friend standing in front of him, relief present in his eyes. 

“Mr. Fell, thank you for joining us. We just had a  _ situation _ and Magnus mentioned that the wards were in shambles. I’m hoping you can help us out? You will, of course, be compensated for your troubles.” Alec wasn’t sure what the societal norms were for meeting the friend of your kidnapped associate who was still sort of in custody was but he figured he couldn’t go wrong with polite.

“Would you mind if I had a few minutes alone with Magnus, Alec? I will repair your wards as we talk. It’s been a year since I’ve last seen the boy. We have some catching up to do...and I need to understand how he came to be like...this.”

“Of course, I probably need to go check in with my Head of Security anyway to see if we’ve found what went missing anyway. Thank you for your assistance.”

As soon as Alec left, Ragnor turned his attention back to Magnus. “Get off the floor, what are you even doing down there to begin with?”

“It’s a long story,” Magnus replied with a sigh, taking a seat on the couch he’d been in front of. “A very, very long story.”

“Well start somewhere - wards work isn’t going to take me that much time.” Magnus launched into the watered-down version of how the Clave had hired him and then turned on him before trying to get him to agree to work for them, giving up and then eventually deciding they needed his obedience instead. 

“Some clerical error allowed the Lightwood boy to take me instead. Nicodemus left, Valentine broke in, the wards were shattered in the process...and here we are.”

Ragnor frowned, pausing in his spell. “I don’t like it. Too much of that is a coincidence. Why would they go to a High Warlock to track one of their own? If they needed a warlock’s assistance there are plenty of others they could call before hiring you. For one thing, they’d all be cheaper than whatever ridiculous rates you were last charging and we all know how cheap the Clave is.”

“That is essentially the conclusion that we’ve come to, yes.” Magnus sighed and pushed himself off the couch to join Ragnor by the wall and watch him manipulate the spell. “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do from here. I’m very literally stuck.”

“So  _ play _ the game, Magnus. You aren’t daft. You don’t win chess by playing checkers.  _ Someone _ very obviously wanted you out of the picture. I recommend finding out who.”

“Well, while that seems like a  _ great _ plan to you, Ragnor, I am  _ stuck _ here without my magic in the city that I call home being treated like a common hellhound. Unless you suddenly have a plan to get this thing off of my neck or the damn chip they put in my back out or the tattoo they put on my lip to disappear. That’s what I’ve dealt with for the past year so excuse me if you don’t see me jumping for joy at your suggestion.”

“Magnus, you know that’s not what I’m suggesting. I suggested you  _ play their game _ . Be the loyal dog they expect you to be. The Lightwood boy seems nothing like his parents. He’s been trying to get a more united Downworld here in New York. Had you not been taken off the street, I dare say the two of you would have worked well together. In the meantime, you’re safe here since that’s exactly where they’ve put you. No one will be looking for you if they think you’re still doing what they expect you to do.”

He heard a knock from the door to Alec’s office and realized the Shadowhunter must be returning. He hadn’t done anything wrong by talking to Ragnor but he couldn’t help dropping back onto the couch and staring at his feet.

“Sorry to interrupt,” He said as he slipped in and closed the door quietly behind him. “I can go if you two still need some time.” 

Ragnor glanced at Magnus with a sigh, letting the visible part of the ward spell fade with a flick of his wrist. “No, no. I think we’re good. Your wards are back up, I had to build around the foundation that Magnus had in place and our spells are typically a little different but I think they’ll hold. I’ve learned some tricks in my time. The next question, Mr. Lightwood, would be to figure out what you’re planning to do about Magnus.”

“What do you mean, what I’m planning to do?”

“We think it’s likely that someone wanted him out of the way - for what reason, we can’t be sure yet but the attack seems too targeted to be anything else. Now that you know the truth about what he is, what plan do you have? You can’t continue treating him like a simple hound.”

“What? No, of course not,” Alec looked to where Magnus was still sitting on the couch trying very hard to disappear from the current conversation. The older warlock eyed him for another moment before turning his attention back to Magnus. 

“See? I told you. Though it’s still probably a good idea if you make a least a show of playing  _ some _ of the game. Nicodemus’ exit was too well-timed...I dare say there’s someone in your Institute that you can’t trust. I’d find out who that is and get rid of them before you turn everything on its end.”

“Magnus, I wasn’t planning on putting you back in the kennel. I’m sorry I did it last night.” Magnus chanced a glance at the Shadowhunter and noticed there was clear distress written across his face.

Ragnor looked between the two of them with a sigh. “And with that, I’ll leave you two to figure out,” he paused to wave a hand towards the two of them, “whatever  _ this _ is. Let Catarina and I make some inquiries of the Downworld, Magnus. We’ll send a fire message if we know more. Meanwhile, you two should work on finding your rat and try to figure out who it was who wanted Magnus out of the picture in the first place.” He flicked open a portal behind him before shooting Magnus one more judgemental look. “And Lilith, Magnus, find something else to wear. You look terrible.”

**Author's Note:**

> EDIT: Ask and ye shall receive. Yes, I will write more of this.


End file.
